Explanation of Diabetes Insipidus

Diabetes insipidus (DI) is a rare disease that disrupts the balance of fluid retention and excretion in the body. Though the Mayo Clinic reports that 30 percent of all DI cases have no identifiable cause, doctors determine a cause and provide treatment a majority of the time.

Function of Vasopressin

• The kidneys pass fluid from the body into the bladder as urine until an anti-diuretic hormone called vasopressin signals for it to stop. This occurs when the body becomes dehydrated and persists until fluid levels return to normal and excretion can begin again.

Identification of DI

• DI prevents the cycle of producing urine and conserving bodily fluids. As a result, patients urinate more frequently than normal and feel excessively thirsty.

Common Cause of DI

• The pituitary gland is responsible for the production of vasopressin. When it becomes damaged by a head injury, surgery, tumors or infection, the gland ceases or decreases the production of vasopressin.

Less Common Causes of DI

• DI also occurs if the kidneys become unresponsive to vasopressin because of disease or the effects of some antidepressant drugs. DI may also happen when the hypothalamus malfunctions, fooling the brain into believing the body is perpetually thirsty.

Treatment

• If a lack of vasopressin is the cause, a replacement hormone called desmopressin alleviates symptoms. For other causes, limiting fluids, a low sodium diet and the drug hydrochlorothiazide decrease urine production.